Personal Computer (PC) has traditionally been designed for use by a single individual. A user typically can select and configure the software installed on a PC to maintain the computer's stability, performance and personal preferences. However, when a PC is shared by multiple users, the different requirements of these users often have an adverse impact on the system. For example, different users may wish to install different applications, which may not be compatible with one another. Also, one user may wish to configure the operating environment in the shared PC in a certain manner that is not acceptable by another user. Furthermore, multiple users sharing a PC can cause security problems.
One available system involves storing an operating system and software on a uniform serial bus (USB) flash memory drive. The system is similar in conception to a portable drive that contains data that is generally stored in an internal hard drive of a PC. However, this system relies on the shared PC to execute the software stored on the USB drive. For example, the operating system on the USB drive may have to be booted up from the shared PC, which still creates performance and security issues. Also, the software in the USB drive may have to be loaded onto the hard drive of the PC, which is a time consuming process and may lead to more performance and security concerns.
A system that provides a portable and device-independent computing environment for use in a shared PC continues to elude those skilled in the art.